Pests and pest control in Rochester, NY

Pests to know in Rochester

• Bed Bug
• Subterranean termites
• Blacklegged Tick
• Spotted Lanternfly
• Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Why each one matters here is cited in the sections below.

Termites in Rochester

FHA's termite list exempts only six New York counties from required soil treatment for new construction; Monroe County is not one of them.^[5]

Invasive species reported here

• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County reports that spotted lanternfly has been found in Monroe County.^[12]
• Hemlock woolly adelgid, an Asian insect that kills hemlocks, reached New York in the 1980s and feeds actively through winter.^[13]

Pests local experts flag

Monroe County notes that bed bugs are treated as a public health pest by federal agencies, even though they are not known to spread disease.^[1]

Climate

Central Rochester (ZIP 14614) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6a, where the average coldest winter night is -10 to -5°F.^[14]

Public agencies that handle pests

• Monroe County Public Health says property owners are responsible for controlling rodents on their own property, sometimes by hiring a professional exterminator.^[1]
• County environmental health staff provide on-site evaluation and guidance for properties with pest problems, and recommend integrated pest management that removes rodents' food, water and shelter.^[1]
• The Monroe County Rabies Program responds to animal bites, sends suspect specimens to the state lab in Albany, and urges residents to keep bats out of living spaces.^[2]
• Lyme disease is New York's most common tick-borne illness, and infected deer ticks occur throughout the state.^[7]
• The state health department considers West Nile virus endemic in New York; about 70 mosquito species live in the state, though only certain ones carry the virus.^[8]

Local rules and responsibilities

• Monroe County runs a mapping tool to help registered pesticide companies comply with New York's 48-hour neighbor notification law.^[3]
• Under Rochester's city code, an unoccupied building showing evidence of rodent infestation can meet the criteria for an abandoned-building nuisance.^[4]

Hiring a licensed company

New York requires a DEC business registration to offer, advertise or perform pesticide applications for hire, with a certified applicator on staff.^[11]

Licensing agency: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation — Division of Materials Management, Bureau of Pest Management^[15].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County runs a diagnostic clinic that accepts insect, plant and soil samples to identify pest problems.^[9]
• Monroe County residents can send insect and plant questions to a gardening helpline staffed by CCE Master Gardener volunteers.^[10]

Through the year

Winter to Spring

New York's Integrated Pest Management program says termite colonies send out winged swarmers in spring, between February and May.^[6]

Spring to Fall

In New York, deer tick nymphs are active from mid-May to mid-August, while adults peak from March to mid-May and again from mid-August to November.^[7]

Sources

1. Monroe County Department of Public Health, “Housing & General Sanitation.” www.monroecounty.gov/eh-housingrodentcontrol (accessed 2026-10-06)
2. Monroe County Department of Public Health, “Rabies and Animal Contact.” www.monroecounty.gov/eh-rabies (accessed 2026-10-06)
3. Monroe County, NY, “Pesticide Neighbor Notification Locator.” www.monroecounty.gov/etc/pesticides/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
4. City of Rochester, NY (City Code, Chapter 52), “§ 52-4 Nuisances.” ecode360.com/8676166 (accessed 2026-10-06)
5. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (FHA), “Termite Treatment Exception Areas.” www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/SFH/documents/SFH_POLI_TERMITE.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
6. New York State IPM Program (Cornell CALS), “What's Bugging You: Termites.” cals.cornell.edu/integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/whats-bugging-you/termites (accessed 2026-10-06)
7. New York State Department of Health, “Lyme Disease Fact Sheet.” www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/lyme/fact_sheet.htm (accessed 2026-10-06)
8. New York State Department of Health, “West Nile Virus.” www.health.ny.gov/diseases/west_nile_virus/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
9. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, “Diagnostic Clinic.” monroe.cce.cornell.edu/horticulture/diagnostic-lab (accessed 2026-10-06)
10. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, “Master Gardeners.” monroe.cce.cornell.edu/Master-Gardeners (accessed 2026-10-06)
11. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, “Business & Agency Information.” dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/pesticides/business-agency-information (accessed 2026-10-06)
12. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, “Factsheets and Resources.” monroe.cce.cornell.edu/horticulture/diagnostic-lab/factsheets-and-resources (accessed 2026-10-06)
13. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, “Hemlock Woolly Adelgid.” monroe.cce.cornell.edu/environment/invasive-nuisance-species/invasive-pests/hemlock-woolly-adelgid (accessed 2026-10-06)
14. USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 14614 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/14614.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
15. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)